Saturday, February 23, 2013

The Mahatma - and the Indian Independence movement - lost two determined and courageous women on February 22: Valliamma in 1913 and Kasturba in 1944

‘How can I forget her?’

Mohandas K Gandhi has not said that of any woman. ‘Woman’? ‘Girl’, really, from a Tamil family of indentured labourers working in the Transvaal, South Africa, where MKG had turned, with the turn of the 19th century, from lawyer to protester for the rights of the Indian community, from a barrister clutching a rail ticket no one around honoured to a statesman no one could ignore.

Let me give the reader Gandhi’s own description of the woman he was writing about: “Valliamma R Munuswami Mudaliar was a young girl of Johannesburg only 16 years of age. She was confined to bed when I saw her. As she was a tall girl, her emaciated body was a terrible thing to behold. ‘Valliamma, you do not repent of your having gone to jail?’ I asked. ‘Repent? I am even now ready to go to jail again, if I am arrested’, said Valliamma. ‘But what if it results in your death?’, I pursued. ‘I do not mind it. Who would not love to die for one’s motherland?’ was the reply.”

Azim Premji first Indian to sign up for Gates-Buffett charity

Azim Premji has become the first Indian to sign up for the Giving Pledge, an undertaking by large-hearted billionaires to dedicate a majority of their wealth to philanthropy.

The Wipro founder and chairman, who has already committed nearly 9,000 crore to the cause of education, will direct more of his charitable giving towards the endowment supporting his philanthropic foundation, Premji wrote in a statement.

"I was deeply influenced by Gandhi's notion of holding one's wealth in trusteeship, to be used for the betterment of society and not as if one owned it," he wrote to the Giving Pledge organisation, whose prime movers have been Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Mahatma Gandhi and Today’s Mass Movement

By Dr. Shubhangi Rathi*

Introduction:

One of the greatest men in the history of India is Mahatma Gandhi. The way he gave shape and character to India's freedom struggle is worthy of a standing ovation. He sacrificed his own life for the sake of his country. The respect that he earned for himself despite leading a simple lifestyle is much appreciable. Mahatma Gandhi played a pivotal role in the freedom struggle of India. His non violent ways and peaceful methods were the foundation for gaining independence from the British.

...Most well known movements in the country are Chipko movement, Save Silent Valley, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Koel Karo, Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha, Jhola Aandolan. These movements largely distanced themselves from political parties, or tried to cut across the ideologies of the political parties. Yet many of them rooted themselves or drew from ideologies of the Mahatma Gandhi, various shades environmentalisms or gender politics, or socialism.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Timeless Appeal

A Simple Man from India Continues to Influence the World

By Lord Meghnad Desai*

What is it about Gandhi that still fascinates the world? Sixty-three years after his death, books still pour out at regular intervals exploring his life and personality. People are supposed to be shocked by revelations about his life. But as always we find that there is nothing any one can expose about Gandhi which he has not already put down in writing with brutal honesty. In terms of frankness about private life, Mahatma Gandhi breached the outer limits of possibility. Yet if the President of the United States, Barack Obama, wants him as his dinner guest—hoping of course that that is not one of Gandhi's fast days or worse yet one of his silent days, then Gandhiji must have 21st century appeal. He was chosen as one of the three most influential persons by TIME magazine on its 20th century issue along with former President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and physicist Albert Einstein. He must have something timeless in his appeal.

There is an
overwhelming response to Exhibition-cum-Sale of Gandhi Books. About 16,508
Gandhi-Vinoba-Sarvodaya books (in English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati) worth Rs.
5,15,247/- were sold within six days. 'An Autobiography' of Mahatma Gandhi, and
a set of five important books of 1500 pages, 'Selected Works of Mahatma Gandhi'
are the top-selling books at the exhibition. About 4,300 copies of 'Gandhi's
Autobiography' and 245 sets of 'Selected Works of Mahatma Gandhi' were sold.
Other Gandhi books on economics, politics, education, law, religion, health
etc. were also popular. We were happy to note that most of those who frequented
the stall were youngsters.

Friday, February 1, 2013

65TH GANDHI MARTYRS' DAY OBSERVED

853 students marched for Peace & Communal Harmony

and took the pledge to work for Peace & National Integration

853 NSS students from 38 collegesof Mumbai & SNDT University along with the Gandhian activists, social workers, peace-loving citizens marched for Peace and Communal Harmony from Azad Maidan to Hutatma Chowk on 30th January. The Peace March was jointly organized by Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal and Gandhi Smarak Nidhi to commemorate 65th Death Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.